Advancing Neighborhood Sustainability

Category: Pedestrian Street Pilot

Below is an update from the City of Seattle about the community debrief process for the Pedestrian Street Pilot:

The Office of Economic Development, Seattle Department of Transportation, Seattle Police Department, Capitol Hill EcoDistrict, and Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce collaborated this August to temporarily open sections of Capitol Hill’s Pike/Pine corridor to pedestrians. On three Saturday nights in August, Pike Street was open to pedestrians between Broadway and 12th Avenue. The sustained nightlife explosion in Pike/Pine has created a vibrant, public scene, but has also generated mobility, safety, and civility concerns. In response, the project increased pedestrian access, improved police monitoring, and tested ways to create cultural change in the streets while celebrating the neighborhood’s LGBTQ identity and artistic culture.

The pedestrian street pilot is one part of a broad economic development strategy – the Capitol Hill 2020 Plan – to support a vibrant commercial district where daytime and nighttime businesses thrive. The full Capitol Hill 2020 Plan can be seen at www.capitolhill2020.org.

Based on input from community stakeholders, two concepts were tested – with and without community focused programming. Now that the Pike Street pedestrian pilot is complete, project partners want to get feedback on the pedestrian street experience.

We have also scheduled two community meetings to hear from residents, businesses and others at 12th Avenue Arts (Pike Pine Room – 1620 12th Avenue) on:

Tuesday, September 22 from 6:00-7:30 pm, and

Thursday, September 24 from 9:00-10:30 am

Seattle Department of Transportation is processing data collected during the pilot to compare the pilot nights with other summer weekend nights, including intercept surveys, pedestrian counts, and activity mapping. Over 700 surveys were collected on six nights in late-July and August, both before and during the pilot.

Initial survey results shed light on what Capitol Hill is like on weekend nights—a mixed-use, multi-modal neighborhood. About 70% of people walked, biked, or used transit or rideshare as part of their trip to and from the area. During their visit, 59% of people visited a shop or restaurant, got coffee, went grocery shopping, or were there for work, in addition to many visiting the nightlife establishments. About one third (36%) live in Capitol Hill, First Hill, or the Central District, and about one third (36%) live somewhere else in Seattle. Most people (59%) also said they visited throughout the week, in addition to the weekend nights.

A full summary of input and data collected throughout the pilot as well as safety and available business data, will be available in late October.

This Saturday marks the fourth and final weekend of a pedestrian-only zone on E Pike Street. During the month of August the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict, in partnership with the Seattle Office of Economic Development, Department of Transportation, and Police Department, piloted an initiative to temporarily open three blocks of E Pike Street to pedestrians on crowded Saturday nights with the intention of creating a better experience for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.

We have been collecting data on how street space is used during these pilot nights and on other, comparable nights throughout the summer. These results along with public safety and business data will be presented as part of debrief discussions in September. People interested in providing input will have opportunities to attend meetings and submit feedback online. Announcements about meeting dates and online survey links will be posted on this blog as soon as the details are finalized. We need to decide as a neighborhood whether we want these pedestrian street experiences to happen again next year.

We are actively tracking the rain forecast. We’ll be sure to post weather updates/cancellation notices here as the week progresses. Assuming the weather holds, here’s a rundown of what you can expect on the 29th.

8pm-10pm Free Swing and Salsa Classes

Starting at 8pm, on the Broadway to 10th Ave block of Pike St, Century Ballroom is hosting queer friendly swing and salsa dance classes. The classes are free, so grab your partner and dance the night away!

All amplified sound will be done by 10pm.

10pm-2:15am Street Performers (sorry, no mimes!)

After the dance classes wind down, silent (or very quiet) performers will be in the streets from 10:00pm to 2:00am. Then, for a half hour right around closing time, musicians will serenade people goodnight and indicate that it’s time to get out of the street, get some food or head home.

We still need more silent performers and we do have a budget to pay performers. Please respond to the contact information below if you know people that are interested.

On Saturday, August 22nd a permitted event will close sections of E Pike Street between Broadway and 12th Avenue to vehicle traffic.

From 8PM to 3AM, E Pike Street will be available to pedestrians only (except for drivers needing to access off-street parking on those blocks)from:
Broadway to 10th Avenue;
10th Avenue to 11th Avenue;
11th Avenue to 12th Avenue.10th and 11th avenues will remain open to vehicle traffic.

No parking will be allowed on E Pike Street between Broadway and 12th Avenue, and the east side of 11th Avenue 150 feet north of E Pike Street, from 6PM until 3AM.
The following left turn lanes will
be closed from 8PM to 3AM:
-Southbound Broadway at Pike
-Northbound 12th Avenue at PikeClosure details:
Three blocks of E Pike Street will be closed to vehicles from 8PM Saturday until 3AM Sunday
Parking on E Pike Street will be closed between Broadway and 11th Avenue starting at 6PM Saturday

New details about the programming for the Pedestrian Streets Pilot are now solidified!!

As we’ve mentioned in previous posts, the first two nights, August 8 and 15, will be shorter and focus on crowd management and public safety. The second two nights, August 22 and 29, will expand on this concept with community based programming that starts earlier in the
night.

From Laura Culberg, the owner and instructor: “The SweatBox is a Bikram influenced studio offering traditional Hatha Yoga, usually in a hot room. For this Pike-Pine Pedestrian Streets Pilot class, The SweatBox owner Laura Culberg will offer a beginners level class, primarily standing series that’s appropriate for all levels and all ages. Wear yoga gear and bring a mat if you want, or just show up in your street clothes and try something new. Join us for a fun class and start your journey to health and wellness.”

From Jackie Hell, the Host: “You won’t be the only drag queen on E Pike St this night! The lineup includes some of Seattle’s finest, including: Freckles Riverside, of New Noise Productions (the King of F’ing with Burlesque). RainbowGore Cake, the 12 year old, drag superstar. Samuel L. JackYouSon, bringing you Drag King realness. Ade, the sultry singer we all love. Honey Bucket, Pac Highway’s hottest Ho. Hosted by Jackie Hell. We’ll announce additional performers as they are confirmed.

These performances and all amplified sound will be done by 10pm.

August 29th

8:00 to 10:00pm Century Ballroom will be hosting queer friendly swing and salsa partner dance classes in the street.

Again, these activities and all amplified sound will be done by 10pm.

Both Nights

The plan for both nights is to have silent (or very quiet) performers from 10:00pm to 1:00am including human statues, clowns, and dancers.

Then, for a half hour right around closing time, we’ll have musicians serenade people goodnight and indicate that it’s time to get out of the street, get some food or head home.

We still need more silent performers and string musicians and we do have a budget to pay performers. Please respond to the contact information below if you know people that are interested.

The Imperial Court has also generously offered to be out and about in regalia, handing out condoms, establishing their presence throughout the night. Other LGBTQ and community groups are welcome and encouraged to participate in similar ways.

We are also working to bring the Deehubs image projections back, building on what was done for Pride and SelfID with a chance for people to comment on the pilots, add to the Here and Queer and SelfID comments, and see those comments up on neighborhood walls in real time once it gets dark.

(I am excited to announce that we can now offer a $15 stipend for your volunteer shift!! -Alex)

Volunteers should meet organizers at 10th and Pike to sign-in for their shifts. Sign up links are below.

In collaboration with Capitol Hill Housing, SDOT, Office of Economic Development, Seattle Police Department and neighborhood supporters and volunteers, the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict will be testing out a series of pilot street closures in the Pike Pine area of Capitol Hill this August. See the latest update and information on the project.

The sustained nightlife explosion in that neighborhood has created a vibrant, public scene, but has also generated mobility, safety, and civility concerns. The pilot street closure project is intended to release the pressure that is built up on the limited sidewalk space. These temporarily open streets will allow for increased pedestrian mobility, improved police monitoring, and more positive activation through community-led programming.

To better understand the dynamics and scale of this unique street environment, we will be conducting a series of pedestrian counts and surveys during weekend nights in July and August. With eight nights targeted for study, we need a lot of help! We are looking for volunteers to collect data as well as help with the community programming.Email Alex Brennan at abrennan(at)capitolhillhousing.org if interested or sign up below.

Volunteer with data collection:sign up here. This will be an opportunity to gain first-hand experience with data collection as well as help provide important quantitative and qualitative feedback on the outcome of these pedestrian street closures to guide future plans. The study will be conducted in three shifts (8p-10p, 10p-1a, 1a-3a) on the following dates:

After soliciting feedback from businesses, residents, and City departments, and looking at examples in other cities, we can now confirm and share more details on the Pike Pine Pedestrian Streets Pilot.

Here’s the plan: The pilot will close three blocks of Pike Street to car traffic on four Saturday nights in August. The first two nights, August 8 and 15, will be shorter and focus on crowd management and public safety. The second two nights, August 22 and 29, will expand on this concept with community based programming. Volunteers needed for data collection!

WHERE:Pike Street from Broadway to 12th Ave

WHEN:August 8th and 15th (10pm to 3am) & August 22nd and 29th (8pm to 3am)

*Daytime and weekday times originally considered didn’t make it to this pilot, but could be an option in the future if there’s continued interest and support to make it happen.

Vehicular Traffic:

E Pike Street between Broadway and 12th Avenue will be closed to car traffic.

The Pike and 10th Avenue and Pike and 11th Ave intersections will be closed as well, but 10th and 11th Avenues will remain open for local access.

Parking and Loading:

On-street parking will be restricted on Pike Street and on the east side of 11th Avenue between Pike and Pine. All other on-street parking on 10th and 11th will be preserved.

Off-street parking garages and lots and loading docks on 10th and 11th Avenue will be fully accessible.

Off-street parking garages and lots and loading docks on Pike Street will be accessible based on specific arrangements with those facilities.

Programming:

August 22 and 29 will include a variety of LGBT and community focused activities and small performances earlier in the night. Later in the night programming will be quiet and focus on promoting a calm atmosphere and directing activity off of the streets at the end of the night. Details and schedule will be announced soon!

The Capitol Hill EcoDistrict has been leading a community engagement and planning process – in partnership with other community groups and City departments – about piloting pedestrian-only streets in Pike Pine since the spring. Based on feedback from local businesses, residents, and City departments, and looking at examples in other cities, we think this idea has potential.

In collaboration with Capitol Hill Housing, SDOT, Office of Economic Development, and Seattle Police Department, we will be testing out a series of pilot street closures in the Pike Pine area of Capitol Hill this August. See the latest update and details on the project here.

The sustained nightlife explosion in that neighborhood has created a vibrant, public scene, but has also generated mobility, safety, and civility concerns. Other neighborhoods and cities have had success with the strategy of limiting vehicle access at certain times to make more space for people on foot and improve the feel of the street. The aim of this pilot is to test out and fine tune this approach to address the challenges our neighborhood is facing.

What do we want to achieve?

The pilot street closure project is intended to release the pressure that is built up on the limited sidewalk space. These temporarily open streets will allow for increased pedestrian mobility, improved police monitoring, and positive street activation through community-led programming.

We want streets where:

Everyone feels safe and welcome

We celebrate the LGBTQ and artistic culture and history of the neighborhood

The street is a platform for building community

There are no gates, no fences, no drinking in the street

Garage, delivery, and emergency vehicle access is maintained

Following up

As a pilot, the Pike Pine Pedestrian Streets will allow us to test out and experiment with temporary interventions that can then inform future nightlife management strategies. A key component of the pilot is *data collection as well as a community debrief and feedback process from the street experience. If the pilots go well, they could be recurring (monthly or weekly) in 2016.

*To better understand the dynamics and scale of this unique street environment, we will be conducting a series of pedestrian counts and surveys during weekend nights in July and August. With eight nights targeted for study, we need help. Interested in volunteering?Learn more here or contact Alex at abrennan(at)capitolhillhousing.org with questions.

The Capitol Hill EcoDistrict is leading a community engagement and planning process – in partnership with other community groups and City departments – about piloting pedestrian-only streets in Pike/Pine this August.Click here for updates on the project!

Photo credit: Tim Durkan

These pilots would close down a few blocks of Pike and/or 10th and/or 11th to cars – and open them up to people and positive, community-led programming. If they go well, they could be recurring (monthly or weekly) in 2016.

We want streets where:

Everyone feels safe and welcome

We celebrate the LGBTQ and artistic culture and history of the neighborhood

The street is a platform for building community

There are no gates, no fences, no drinking in the street

Garage, delivery, and emergency vehicle access is maintained

We are considering testing this out on two or three late Friday and/or Saturday nights in August to address challenges like:

Nightlife and crowd management/mitigation

Violence, including gaybashing and sexual harassment

Public urination, defecation, vomiting and vandalism

We are also looking at one 2nd Thursday Artwalk evening and one Sunday daytime as community building opportunities.

Other neighborhoods have had success with the strategy of limiting vehicle access at certain times to make more space for people on foot and improve the feel of the street. However, we recognize that there are also concerns about this approach and want to make sure they are heard.

Give us your input! [survey now closed].

For more information or if you’d like to talk further, please contact Alex at ABrennan@capitolhillhousing.org